2013-2014 Ballot Measure Overview

by Linda Casey | 2016-05-10

Overview

The 2013 and 2014 elections saw the fewest ballot measures since 2005, when the National Institute on Money in State Politics began gathering comprehensive ballot measure data in every state.1 Ballot measure committees in 2013 and 2014 raised almost $526 million, the lowest since 2005.

Table 1: Contributions to 2005–2014 Ballot Measure Committees

Election Cycle

Number of Measures

Number of States

Total

2013–2014

189

42

$525,919,280

2011–2012

220

41

$1,044,566,627

2009–2010

215

40

$526,249,859

2007–2008

205

37

$869,143,555

2005–2006

245

40

$1,115,332,884

Money prevailed during 2013–2014. Committees supporting successful measures raised about ten times more than their opponents. Committees that opposed failed measures raised nearly three times more than the supporters.

The analysis of the money raised in 2013-2014 around these measures found:

254 committees raised $526 million around 101 measures

Out-of-state donors provided one-third of the money

Non-individual donors contributed 88 percent of the money raised

No money was identified being raised around 88 of the 189 measures in 30 states2

See Appendix B and Appendix C for state-by-state details on the number of measures and money raised on all measures that appeared on the 2013 and 2014 ballots.

Methodology

The Institute identified six issues for which multiple states had measures on their 2013 and 2014 ballots:

K-12 Funding

Marijuana

Environment and Natural Resources

Voting Rights

Minimum Wage

Definition of a Person

This report analyzes the funding of the committees that took a position on these measures.

Some ballot committees may support or oppose more than one ballot measure. In this instance, because it is not possible to identify money raised for each specific measure, the analysis includes all money raised by the ballot committees taking a position on that measure, even if they also supported or opposed another measure.

A detailed description of the four types of ballot measures can be found at National Conference of State Legislatures’ Ballot Measures Database. Note that not every state allows the initiative/ballot measure process.

A Closer Look at 42 Ballot Measures

Ballot measures tackling six issues—K-12 funding, marijuana, environment and natural resources, voting rights, minimum wage, and definition of a person—garnered $183.5 million, which is 35 percent of the $526 million raised around all ballot measures in 2013 and 2014. Appendix A presents a detailed overview of the money raised around these 42 measures by 112 committees.

* $7,883,573 was given to committees taking positions on multiple measures: $4,946,919 to committees that took a position on both Marijuana and Voting Rights measures; $2,811,654 to committees with positions on Voting Rights, Minimum Wage and K-12 funding; and $125,000 to committees taking positions on Marijuana and Minimum Wage.

K-12 Funding

Eight measures addressing K-12 funding were on the ballot in seven states: Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Washington. Half of the measures passed. The eight measures attracted a total of $64.5 million, of which 63 percent was raised by supporters. Non-individual contributors gave $60.6 million, 94 percent of the $64.5 million. No money was raised around the ballot measures in Hawaii or New Mexico.

Two K-12 funding amendments were introduced to voters in Colorado. Despite the fact that supporters gave nearly double that of opponents, both amendments failed.

In 2014, Amendment 68 saw the largest contribution totals ($16.2 million to committees opposed and $19.8 million to those in support). This defeated ballot measure would have expanded horse racetrack gaming in Colorado with the revenue going to a newly established K-12 education fund. Gambling industry contributors found themselves on opposite sides of the amendment. Horse racetrack gaming would have included slot machines, card games, and the games of roulette and craps. The top contributor was the horse and greyhound racing company, Mile High USA, which gave $19.8 million to the sole supporter of Amendment 68, the Coloradans for Better Schools, Inc.Thirteen other gambling-related contributors opposing expansion of gambling at race tracks gave a combined $16.2 million to defeat the measure.

Amendment 66, on the ballot in 2013, would have increased the current income tax rate and allocated 43 percent of sales, excise, and income tax revenue to the State Education Fund, and would have created a State Educational Achievement Fund that would receive a percentage of the income tax to benefit preschool programs and public K-12 students.

Two proponent committees (Colorado Commits to Kids and Greeley Commits to Kids) raised $11.2 million in a failed attempt to convince Colorado voters to pass Amendment 66. Opponents raised only $166,007.

Teachers’ unions accounted for 36 percent of the $11.2 million raised by proponents. The National Education Association/NEA and the Colorado Education Association gave $2.1 million and $2 million respectively. Three other supporters hit the $1 million mark: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Melinda French Gates, and Patricia A. Stryker.

Kaiser Permanente contributed to six committees ($24.1 million), among them was $100,000 to Colorado Commits to Kids, which supported Colorado’s Amendment 66.

The 2014 Nevada Ballot Question 3 would have created “a 2 percent tax to be imposed on a margin of the gross revenue of entities doing business in Nevada whose total revenue for any taxable year exceeds $1 million, with the proceeds of the tax going to the State Distributive School Account to be apportioned among Nevada’s school districts and charter schools.”4

The ballot measure failed, with opponents contributing 4.2 times more than those in favor. While top contributor Nevada State Education Association gave $1.5 million to supporting committee The Education Initiative PAC, opponents gave $7.4 million to defeat Ballot Question 3, led by the Coalition to Defeat the Margin Tax Initiative at $5.7 million. That opposing committee’s top contributors were gaming interests, at $1.4 million. The Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce gave it $1 million. Realtor associations gave a combined $1.6 million to Realtors Against Question 3, led by the Nevada Association of Realtors at $950,000.

In 2014, Washington voters approved Initiative 1351, which directed the legislature to allocate funds to reduce class sizes and increase staffing support for students in all K-12 grades, with additional class-size reductions and staffing increases in high-poverty schools. No money was given to defeat the measure, but teachers’ unions gave nearly $4.9 million to the proponent, Class Size Counts.

The successful 2014 Statewide Advisory Question 3 in Illinois amended the state constitution to require that each school district receive additional revenue based on the number of students. The measure was supported by the Committee to Reduce Income Inequality and to Support Human Rights,5 which received $2.8 million, with $2.3 million of that coming from organized labor. No committees organized against the measure.

With its passage, New York’s Proposal 3 authorized the creation of state debt and the sale of state bonds up to $2 billion to provide money for improving learning and opportunity for public and nonpublic school students in New York. The New York State United Teachers raised $200,500 in support; no committees organized to defeat the proposal.

Environment & Natural Resources

Committees that organized around the 16 environment and natural resources-related ballot measures in 2013 and 2014 raised $54.4 million, $10.5 million of which came from individuals and $43.3 million from non-individuals. Supporters of 13 measures gave $40.3 million to 31 committees. The 14 committees that organized in opposition to five measures raised $14.3 million.

The ballot measures passed in Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas. Maine’s Question 1 failed while Maine voters approved Questions 6 and 7. The Massachusetts and North Dakota measures were defeated, as were both Proposal 1 and 2 in Michigan.

Alaskans passed Ballot Measure 4, directing the state legislature to protect Bristol Bay wild salmon, and waters within or flowing into the Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve, from large-scale metallic sulfide mines. Robert B. Gilliam was the top contributor to proponent Bristol Bay Forever, Inc. Gillam, owner of McKinley Capital Management in Anchorage, Alaska, donated $1.3 million of the $1.5 million Bristol Bay Forever, Inc. raised.

In California, voters approved Proposition 1, which authorized $11.14 billion in bonds to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program.

One supporting committee, the Bipartisan Coalition of Business, Labor, Republicans, Democrats and Governor Brown, received 80 percent ($17.5 million) of the $21.9 million given. The top contributor to this committee was Gov. Brown’s election committee, Jerry Brown for Governor 2014, at $5.2 million. San Francisco securities and investment businessman Sean Parker gave $1 million. Venture capitalist L. John Doerr of California gave $875,000. And more than a dozen contributors each gave $250,000 or more.

Florida voters approved Amendment 1, funding the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to acquire, restore, improve, and manage conservation lands. The only committee and supporter of the measure, Florida’s Water and Land Legacy, raised $6.4 million, with $1.4 million coming from Tudor Investment Corporation CEO Paul Tudor Jones II of Greenwich, Connecticut. Nineteen pro-environment policy groups gave the committee $2.5 million.

Voters in Maine decided on seven measures in 2014—three were related to environmental issues: Question 1, Question 6, and Question 7. Of the three, Question 1 was the lone failure but received the most attention from 11 committees, garnering $6.3 million of the $7.7 million given around all seven questions in Maine. Supporter and opponent contributions were evenly matched at around $3 million each.

The 2013 Texas Proposition 6 passed, creating the State Water Implementation Fund and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund to finance priority water resources projects. The $2.9 million raised by two supporting committees (Keep Texas Working and Water Texas PAC) came from more than 150 donors. Contributions from donors in the energy and natural resources industry totaled $890,293 and the Associated General Contractors of Texas gave $375,000.

North Dakota Measure 5 would have created a Clean Water, Wildlife, and Parks Trust and a Clean Water, Wildlife, and Parks Fund to be financed by 5 percent of the revenues from the state's share of the oil extraction tax. North Dakota voters, however, soundly defeated the measure. Two supporting committees outraised an opposing committee $1.7 million to $1.4 million. One proponent, North Dakotans for Clean Water, Wildlife, and Parks, received $1.5 million, $962,004 of that from The Nature Conservancy. In its efforts to defeat Measure 5, North Dakotans for Common Sense Conservation received more than $1 million from the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce.

No money was raised around the Environment & Natural Resources ballot measures in Hawaii, New Jersey, or Rhode Island.

Marijuana

Measures related to legalization and taxation of marijuana were on the ballot in five states. Non-individuals gave $20.7 million and individuals gave $9.4 million of the $30.2 million total raised around the marijuana measures.

Voters approved Alaska’s Ballot Measure 2 that dealt with taxing and regulating the production, sale, and use of marijuana. Four committees in favor of the measure received $1.1 million, with $836,333 coming from the Marijuana Policy Project. The two opposing committees received a combined $189,096. The top opposing donor, Alaskan advertising firm Northwest Strategies, gave $27,738 in mostly miscellaneous in-kind contributions. Chenega Corporation gave $25,984, with $25,000 of it as a direct contribution and the balance as in-kind travel.

The approved 2013 Colorado Proposition AA imposed a 15 percent excise tax on the average wholesale price of retail marijuana when it is first sold or transferred, plus an additional 10 percent sales tax. The Committee for Responsible Regulation supported Proposition AA and received $73,694 total, with individual and non-individual contributions nearly equal at $33,784 and $39,910 respectively. No Over Taxation opposed the measure and received $3,797, almost all from individual donors.

Florida’s Amendment 2 sought to allow the medical use of marijuana for individuals with debilitating diseases. It failed, despite the efforts of supporters who raised $8.1 million of the $14.4 million total. The Drug Free Florida Committee, the lone committee opposing the measure, received $5.5 million of its $6.4 million from Nevada casino owner Sheldon G. Adelson. People United for Medical Marijuana supported Amendment 2 and received $3.8 million of its $8.1 million from the Florida law firm of Morgan & Morgan. Additionally, Florida philanthropist Barbara Stiefel gave $975,000 to support the measure.

With its passage, Measure 91 in Oregon legalized the sale and consumption of marijuana for recreational use. Five committees that organized in support of Measure 91 raised $14 million.7 The top contributors to proponents were the Drug Policy Alliance at $3.1 million and the Yes on 91 committee at $2.7 million. An opponent of the measure, No on 91, raised just $179,673.

No money was raised around the failed Washington Advisory Vote 8, which recommended that the legislature repeal Senate Bill 6505, eliminating the agricultural excise tax preferences for various aspects of the marijuana industry.

Voting Rights

Ballot measures about voting rights were on the ballot in five states—Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, Montana, and Oregon—and committees that organized around five measures raised $20.3 million. Four of the five ballot measures failed. Only Illinois’ Constitutional Amendment 2 passed.

Oregon Measure 90 sought to establish a nonpartisan general election nomination process in which all candidates appear on a single ballot, and the top two candidates advance to the general election. The measure failed.

Vote Yes on 90 received $5.8 million of the $9.1 million raised by the three supporting committees. Top contributors include Open Primaries, at $2.4 million, and former New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, at $2.1 million. The committee Open Primaries received nearly $2.8 million from Texas investor John D. Arnold.

Two committees supported Illinois’ successful Constitutional Amendment 2, which added a new section to Article III of the Illinois Constitution. It reads "No person shall be denied the right to register to vote or to cast a ballot in an election based on race, color, ethnicity, status as a member of a language minority, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or income." Together the two committees raised $2.8 million.

No money was raised in support of the failed Montana LR-126. The largest share of the near $1.1 million raised by opponent Montanans for Fair and Free Elections came from MEA-MFT, the Montana teachers’ union, which gave $610,047. LR-126 would have changed the deadline for late voter registration and moved the deadline for changes to an elector's voter registration information.

The Missouri Early Voting Fund raised $745,450 in support of the failed Missouri Constitutional Amendment 6. Constitutional Amendment 6 would have required a six-day early voting period before a general election. The Missouri Early Voting Fund received the largest share from organized labor, which gave $433,950. Another $164,000 came from lawyers, law firms, and lobbyists, and the Washington D.C.-based committee, Priorities USA Action, gave $100,000. No money was raised in opposition to the ballot measure.

Yes We Can Connecticut raised $21,550 in support of Connecticut’s Question 1. The measure, which would have allowed for no-excuse absentee voting, failed. Currently Connecticut allows absentee voting in the cases of military deployment, out-of-state business travel, and illness.

Minimum Wage

Ballot measures asking voters to increase the minimum wage were introduced and passed in six states: Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, New Jersey, and South Dakota. Of the $8 million raised around the issue, just $140,881 was raised in opposition. The only opposition came in South Dakota. Contributions from non-individuals outpaced those from individuals by nearly 7-to-1.

Not surprising, organized labor accounted for more than half of all proponent contributions, with Illinois committees receiving the bulk of that.

In Illinois, the Statewide Advisory Question 1 raised the state minimum wage for adults over the age of 18 to $10 per hour on January 1, 2015. Supporters of the ballot measure raised $4.4 million in three committees: Committee to Reduce Income Inequality and to Support Human Rights received $2.8 million, Committee to Raise Illinois’s Minimum Wage received $1.5 million, and Raise Chicago received $53,536. Labor unions gave $3.5 million and were the top five donors, accounting for $2.7 million of money raised in support.

Arkansas Issue 5 increased the state minimum wage to $7.50 per hour on January 1, 2015, with future increases to $8.00 per hour on January 1, 2016, and $8.50 per hour on January 1, 2017. Five committees raised a total of $1.3 million in support of the measure. The Arkansas Interfaith Alliance led the rest by receiving $449,815. America Votes and Give Us A Raise were right behind at $400,000 each. Organized labor was the top contributing sector at $530,500.

Nebraska Measure 425 increased the state minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $8.00 per hour in 2015 and to $9.00 per hour in 2016. The only committee organized around this measure, Nebraskans for Better Wages, received $1.5 million. Holland Foundation president, Richard D. Holland of Omaha, Nebraska, was responsible for more than half of that total, giving $650,000. More than a dozen labor organizations gave $359,275.

South Dakota Measure 18 increased the state minimum wage to $8.50 per hour in 2015, adjusting it to inflation thereafter. Two proponent committees, Give South Dakota a Raise and Raise South Dakota received $250,000 and $35,520 respectively, with $255,000 coming from teachers’ unions. The No More Mandates committee opposed the measure and received $140,881, mostly from businesses and business associations.

Alaska Ballot Measure 3 increased the state minimum wage to $9.75 per hour in increments by January 1, 2016, and adjusts for inflation each year after 2016. Alaskans for a Fair Minimum Wage received $231,474, with $178,602 of that coming from organized labor.8

Definition of a Person

Voters in Colorado and North Dakota defeated amendments calling for a definition of life, person, and child. A total of $5.9 million was raised around the issue in both states, of which $4.6 million was given to committees in opposition. Of the $5.9 million raised, individuals gave just $710,768.

Colorado’s Amendment 67 would have expanded the definition of "person" or "child" in the Colorado criminal code and the Colorado Wrongful Death Act to include the unborn. No On Personhood–Vote No on 67 Campaign Committee received $3 million, with $2.4 million of it coming from Planned Parenthood Federation of America and 26 other Planned Parenthood associations.

Amendment 67 supporters gave a combined $46,558 to a pair of committees that formed against the ballot measure: A Voice for Brady received $41,252 and the Colorado Right to Life received $5,306.

In North Dakota, Measure 1 would have provided that the right to life must be protected and recognized at every stage of human development. The North Dakota Catholic Conference gave $446,000 to the North Dakota Choose Life ballot measure committee that supported Measure 1, accounting for nearly one-half of the contributions the committee received. The Yes on 1 committee received $7,230 from St. Anthony Catholic Church and eleven individuals.

Two committees opposed to the ballot measure received $1.6 million. A dozen Planned Parenthood associations accounted for a combined $1.4 million given to North Dakotans Against Measure 1. The North Dakota Students Voting No On 1 received $40,550 from the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Types of Donors to the 42 Ballot Measures

Top Non-Individual Donors

More than 5,800 non-individual9 donors collectively gave $464.5 million to 2013 and 2014 ballot measure committees across the states. Ten of those donors gave $10 million or more, and accounted for about one-third of the money contributed by non-individuals. Nine of the $10+ million non-individuals saw their contributions pay off because they gave to committees that defeated measures they opposed.

The top three donors also gave to committees that backed successful measures. The contribution activity of Kaiser Permanente and Mile High USA are discussed above in A Closer Look at 42 Ballot Measures.

Table 3: Top Non-Individuals That Gave $10 Million or More, 2013 and 2014

Monsanto gave $14.7 million to oppose three ballot measures related to labeling genetically modified foods. All three measures failed. The company gave $3.4 million to the Coalition Against the Misleading Labeling Initiative in Colorado, which opposed Proposition 105. If successful, the proposition would have required producers, manufacturers, and distributors of genetically modified food to ensure the container includes a label reading "Produced with Genetic Engineering" in a clear and conspicuous manner.

The No on 92 Coalition in Oregon received $6 million from Monsanto. Measure 92 would have required retailers, suppliers, and manufacturers of genetically engineered food to label foods as such.

In 2013, Monsanto gave $5.4 million to No on 522. Washington’s Initiative 522 would have required most raw agricultural commodities, processed foods, and seeds and seed stocks, if produced using genetic engineering, as defined, to be labeled as genetically engineered when offered for retail sale.

Like Monsanto, Dupont Pioneer gave $11.8 million to the same committees opposed to ballot measures in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington: $3 million to the Coalition Against the Misleading Labeling Initiative in Colorado, $3.9 million to No on 522 in 2013 in Washington, and $4.9 million to the No on 92 Coalition in Oregon.

Grocery Manufacturers Association gave $11.3 million to four committees that opposed those same failed ballot measures. The Washington, D.C. association gave $104,000 to the Coalition Against the Misleading Labeling Initiative in Colorado, $11 million to Washington’s No on 522, and $164,190 to No on 92 Coalition in Oregon.

Table Mountain Rancheria gave to two committees opposing the failed California Proposition 48, which would have overturned Indian gaming compacts. They gave $1.3 million to First Americans for Keeping the Promise, No on 48, which was sponsored and funded by a California gaming tribe, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians; and $10.4 million to Keep Vegas-style Casinos Out of Neighborhoods, a project of Stand Up For California.

NORCAL Mutual Insurance Company gave $11 million to the committee Patients, Providers, and Healthcare Insurers to Protect Access and Contain Health Costs, which opposed Proposition 46 in California. Proposition 46 would have required drug and alcohol testing of doctors; required the California Medical Board to suspend doctors who tested positive; required doctors to report other doctors they suspected of drug or alcohol impairment; and require health care practitioners to consult state prescription drug history database before prescribing certain controlled substances. Proposition 46 failed.

Like NORCAL Mutual Insurance, The Doctors Company gave $10.6 million to two California committees opposing Proposition 46: $10.5 million to Patients, Providers, and Healthcare Insurers to Protect Access and Contain Health Costs, and $110,000 to Californians Allied for Patient Protection.

Top Individual Donors

More than 34,000 individuals collectively gave $57.6 million. Twelve of those individual donors gave $1 million or more and accounted for 44 percent of the money given by all individuals. Six gave exclusively to ballot measures in their home states, and six gave at least a portion outside their home states.

Table 4: Individuals Giving $1 Million or More to Ballot Measure Committees, 2013 and 2014

Contributor

Home State

State(s) of Contribution

Total

Adelson, Sheldon G.

NV

FL

$5,500,000

Nicholas III, Henry T.

CA

IL

$4,300,219

Arnold, John D.

TX

CO, OR

$3,050,000

Bloomberg, Michael R.

NY

OR, WA

$2,415,000

Gates, Melinda R.

WA

CO, WA

$1,525,000

Jones II, Paul Tudor

CT

CO, FL

$1,482,480

Hanauer, Nicholas J.

WA

WA

$1,385,000

Gillam, Robert B.

AK

AK

$1,345,850

Hughes Jr, B. Wayne

CA

CA

$1,275,000

Stiefel, Barbara

FL

FL

$1,120,000

Parker, Sean

CA

CA

$1,100,000

Stryker, Patricia A.

CO

CO

$1,000,000

TOTAL

$25,498,549

Florida’s Amendment 2 drew the most attention from individual donors. An opponent of the measure, Drug Free Florida Committee, received $5.5 million from Nevada casino owner Sheldon G. Adelson. A supporter of the measure, People United for Medical Marijuana, received $975,000 from Florida philanthropist Barbara Stiefel.

In Alaska, the committee Big Marijuana. Big Mistake. Vote No on 2 received $15,000 from McKinley Capital’s president and CEO, Robert B. Gillam. Ballot Measure 2 passed.

A failed voting rights measure in Oregon received the next greatest amount of attention from two individuals who did not reside in those states. Measure 90 would have established a nonpartisan general election nomination process in which all candidates appear on a single ballot, with the top two candidates advancing to the general election. Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and John D. Arnold of Texas donated to committees supporting Oregon Measure 90. Bloomberg gave $2.1 million to Vote Yes on 90 and Arnold gave nearly $2.8 million to Open Primaries.

California Broadcom Corp. CEO Henry T. Nicholas III gave $4.3 million to Marsy’s Law for Illinois, a committee that supported the successful Illinois Constitutional Amendment 1.

Contributions by Industry

Donors from the business10 industry accounted for 71 percent of the money given to ballot measure committees in 2013 and 2014.

1. The National Institute on Money in State Politics gathered a handful of state ballot measure campaign finance reports in 2002, then expanded collection in 2003–2004 but excluded those related to bond measures. Comprehensive collection of all types of ballot measures began in 2005.

2. Ballot measure committees are not classified as such in some states, therefore the contribution data is difficult to identify.

6. Voter Education Brigade gave $4,346 and took positions on seven Maine measures in 2014.

7. In Oregon, three committees (Defend Oregon, the Democratic Party of Oregon, and the Parents Education Association) took a position on Oregon measure 91 and Oregon Measure 90, as well as other Oregon measures. It is impossible to assign $4.8 million of the $6.4 million those committees gave exclusively to either committee, therefore it is included in the overall total attributed to both measures. In addition, the Parents Education Association was opposed to 91. Measure 91 is discussed in the Voting Rights section.

8. The committee, Yes Yes Yes on 2, 3, 4 received $125,000 in support of Alaska Ballot Measures 2, 3, and 4.

9. A non-individual is any contributor that is not a person, including labor unions, political party and candidate committees, corporations and/or their political action committees, associations, and ideological groups.

10. The business industry includes donors in agriculture, communications and electronics, construction, defense, energy and natural resources, finance, insurance and real estate, general business, health, and transportation.